Canada’s inflation rate rose slightly at the end of last year, with consumer prices increasing at an annual pace of 2.4 per cent in December, according to new data from Statistics Canada. That marked an uptick from 2.2 per cent in November. The national statistics agency said the increase was partly driven by comparison effects linked to a temporary federal tax holiday that had been in place a year earlier. Prices that were held down during that period have since returned to more typical levels, pushing the year-over-year inflation figure higher. Economists often point to these base-year eff

The leader of the Parti Québécois says Premier François Legault’s decision to step down has reopened the question of Quebec sovereignty and created an opportunity to reset the province’s political direction. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Legault’s tenure demonstrates the limits of seeking greater autonomy within Canada, arguing that Quebec has failed to achieve meaningful gains in key areas such as immigration control and health care after more than seven years under Coalition Avenir Québec rule. Legault founded the CAQ on the idea of moving beyond the long-standing divide between fe

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he discussed Greenland’s future and broader Arctic sovereignty issues during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, amid ongoing international attention on the strategic importance of the Arctic region. Carney told reporters the conversation included concerns about recent statements by the U.S. president regarding Greenland, emphasizing Canada’s view that decisions about the territory’s future should rest with the people of Greenland themselves. He said he found “significant alignment” with Xi on the principle of respecting sovereignty

Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada has reached a preliminary trade agreement with China that would ease long-standing agricultural tariffs while allowing a limited number of Chinese-made electric vehicles into the Canadian market. Under the deal, China is expected to reduce duties on Canadian canola seed to 15 per cent by March. Tariffs on canola meal, as well as lobster, crab and peas, are set to be lifted from March through at least the end of the year, offering relief to farmers and exporters who have faced restricted access to one of Canada’s largest overseas markets. In exchange, Ca

Canada’s federal privacy commissioner has launched an investigation into sexualized deepfakes circulating on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Philippe Dufresne, who oversees federal private sector privacy compliance, has expanded an existing probe into X and opened a separate inquiry into xAI, the company behind Grok, the artificial intelligence tool used to generate the content. The office of the privacy commissioner said the investigations will determine whether X and xAI collected, used, or disclosed personal information without valid consent in the creation of deep

Surrey Police Service is investigating a shooting that damaged a home and vehicle in the Panorama Ridge neighbourhood early Thursday morning, part of what police believe may be an ongoing pattern of extortion-related violence in the city. Officers were called to the 13400 block of 56 Avenue shortly before 1 am after reports of gunfire. Police say they found evidence of shots fired at a residence and a nearby vehicle. No injuries were reported. The SPS Frontline Investigative Support Team attended the scene, and the Major Crime Section has now taken over the investigation. Police say the case r

Canada’s foreign affairs department has confirmed the death of a Canadian citizen in Iran as widespread anti-government protests continue across the country. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said the federal government has received information indicating the individual died at the hands of Iranian authorities. Anand said Canada strongly condemns the use of violence by the Iranian government against protesters and civilians, and is calling for an immediate end to the crackdown. The confirmation comes amid heightened international concern over arrests, injuries, and deaths linked to demons

Surrey Police Service officers are investigating an overnight shooting that damaged a business in the Newton neighbourhood, marking the latest incident amid a series of extortion-related crimes reported in the city. Police say officers were called to the 8000 block of King George Boulevard at around 2:10 am after reports of gunfire. When officers arrived, they found a business property that had been damaged by the shooting. No injuries were reported. The Surrey Police Service Frontline Investigative Support Team attended the scene, and the Major Crime Section has assumed conduct of the investi

Quebec Premier François Legault says he will step down as leader of the Coalition Avenir Québec, confirming he will not take the party into the provincial election scheduled for this fall. Legault told reporters in Quebec City that he intends to remain premier until a new CAQ leader is selected, setting off a leadership race with only months remaining before voters head to the polls on October 5. The announcement comes as the governing party faces declining public support. Recent polling places the CAQ well behind both the Parti Québécois and the Quebec Liberal Party, marking a significant